I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to patient interfaces for fluid management in medical care, and in particular to a system for interfacing a vacuum-assisted fluid extraction/supply system with a patient.
II. Description of Related Art
Fluid management significantly affects many aspects of health care and is involved in many medical procedures. For example, wound care typically involves absorbing and/or draining blood, serum and other body fluids from the patient. Various surgical procedures also require fluid drainage. For example, skin grafts have fluid drainage that needs to be managed at both the donor and graft sites.
Various types of porous, absorbent dressing materials have been used for dressing wounds to accumulate body fluids. The dressing materials facilitate drainage and also collection and disposal of the fluids. A disadvantage with many conventional dressings is that they require changing to reduce risks of infection and to maintain effectiveness. However, dressing changes can add significantly to treatment costs and are associated with patient discomfort and medical risks such as infection and damage to reepithelialized tissue. Accordingly, vacuum sources have been employed to drain wounds. For example, Zamierowski U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,880; U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,396; U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,893; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,293 pertain to wound dressings, fluid connections, fastening systems and medical procedures utilizing same in connection with vacuum-assisted wound drainage, and are incorporated herein by reference.
A wound drainage device using a hand-operated suction bulb is shown in the George, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,858. Motorized suction pumps can be employed to provide consistent, sub-atmospheric vacuum pressure for maintaining an effective drainage flow. The Richmond et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,754 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,494 disclose vacuum wound drainage systems which can be connected to motorized vacuum pumps.
Another important objective in designing an effective wound drainage system is to provide an effective interface with the patient. Ideally the patient interface should accommodate various types of wounds in different stages of recovery for as broad a range of applications as possible. Promoting optimum wound healing typically involves maintaining the right moisture level to avoid overdrying without causing the wound to macerate from excessive moisture. Pressures should be sufficient for effective drainage without creating significant negative forces, which could cause pressure necrosis or separate freshly-applied skin grafts.
Wound treatment procedures can also include infusing wound sites with liquids to flush contaminants, counter infection, promote healing growth and anesthetize the wound. Prior art fluid delivery systems include a device for treating tissues disclosed in the Svedman U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,441; a product and process for establishing a sterile area of skin disclosed in the Groves U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,332; and the transdermal infusion device disclosed in the Westin U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,399. Equipment has also been available which flushes and collects contaminants from wounds.
Heretofore, there has not been available a patient interface system and method with the advantages and features of the present invention.